Impact Productions

Europe's Secret Eden: Polesia

Olya Kaskevich is dedicated to saving Polesia along with 49 other activists who paddle through meanders of Pripyat river in their canoes. Now more than ever, the delicate balance of this pristine area, named Europe's Amazon, is threatened with the plan for the construction of a canal 25 times the length of the Panama one. It will run in close proximity to the Chernobyl exclusion zone, risking poisoning the water supply of millions of people and wildlife with radioactive substances. It will lead to biodiversity loss, droughts, increased flood risk and the release of annual carbon emissions equal to those from 2 million cars. But thanks to activists like Olya who bring the issue to the public eye, and conservationists who raise their voice about the dangerous impacts and work to educate the society there is hope in stopping this plan from going ahead.

04:56 | 2021

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